Snapshots
by Lady Dudley
Summary: A collection of drabbles relating to the Jardine family. Mostly fluff and nonsense. *Chapter Added*
1. School

**A/N: I've been having a few ideas lately that aren't really big enough to make into a full blown story (or even a one-shot) so I have decided to start this collection of drabbles, which I may still add to from time to time. Hope you enjoy them :) This first was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up."**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Jackie didn't quite believe her mother in law when she told her that children were always ready to grow up faster than their parents were. At the time she had been quite sure that she was perfectly able to accept the fact that her eldest child was going to be starting school.

But the sight of Jimmy dressed in his uniform – his shirt buttoned wrong, shoes on the wrong feet, hat askew and schoolbag on – standing in her doorway before sunrise announcing that he was ready changed her mind.

Alice had been right; she really wasn't ready for her little boy to grow up.


	2. Breakfast

**A/N: This one came from (of all things) the kid's program _Olivia_ (which is about a pig family, in case you were wondering) that I was watching whilst babysitting. Licking toast, however, is something my uncle used to do. Hope you like!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Jackie watched the interplay between her children at the breakfast table with mild amusement: Jimmy was in the processing of grossing out his sisters by licking his piece of toast on both sides.

"Jimmy, that is disgusting," Nerys announced, wrinkling her nose.

"I know you are, said you are but what am I?" Jimmy replied in a sing-song voice as he began to put a mixture of different spreads on his toast; further disgusting his siblings.

The three girls watched Jimmy in silence for a few moments before Katrina piped up, "Mummy, are you sure Jimmy is a part of this family?" she asked, never taking her eyes from her brother.

Jackie smothered her smile, "Quite sure."

Katrina shook her head, "Are you sure? Because sometimes he acts like he's from another planet," she replied.

At that Jackie did smile, her smile broadened as Nerys got the last word in the conversation: "Boys are just different, Katie, they mature later than we do," she said matter-of-factly.

The girls all looked at him in disgust for a few moments longer before, in unison, getting up and leaving Jimmy alone at the table.

Jimmy looked unconcerned as he helped himself to some more toast.


	3. Plants

**A/N: Yet again, I was babysitting and watched _Olivia_. Although only the basic premise comes from the show.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Michael stood at the window watching Ebony sitting by the edge of the garden bed, Nelson sprawled by her side.

"What is she doing?" he asked Jackie as she came into the room, still watching Ebony through the window.

"She's growing some seeds for school."

"So why is she reading to them?"

"I mentioned to her that plants sometimes grow faster in response to being spoken too, she decided to read them a story," Jackie explained, turning from the window to begin preparing dinner.

Michael suddenly started to laugh, "What?" Jackie demanded, turning back to face him.

"I think you should have spoken to her about her choice of reading matter," Michael told her, reining in some of his laughter, "I don't think it will encourage her seeds to grow."

Jackie looked out of the window with a mixture of curiosity and confusion, "Why? What is she reading?"

"_The Very Hungry Caterpillar_."


	4. Safe

**A/N: I probably should have mentioned that there's no particular order to these things either. Slight reference to "Death Without Dishonour." Hope you enjoy! :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Michael looked in on all of his children as he made his way to his bedroom, just to make sure that they were all safely tucked up in their beds. As he paused in the doorway to the girls' room he felt that perhaps for the first time he truly understood why Taggart had behaved as he did over Alison and that Australian.

On the job you see all kinds of different things, things that you want to protect your children from. Even when they might think they're old enough to protect themselves.

There were times when he wished he had a more normal job, one that wasn't quite so dangerous. But then there were times, like this one, when he looked at his children and was glad that he was doing something to make the world just that little bit safer for them.

After all, wasn't that what fathers are for?


	5. Quiet

**A/N: Short and (hopefully) sweet :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Night time was Jackie's favourite time of day: when the dishes were done and the children were in their beds and it was just her and Michael.

She loved her children, she really did, but she also loved spending some quiet time with Michael at the end of a busy day.

Sometimes they would do their own thing – she might read while he finished up some work – or sometimes they'd curl up together on the couch and watch a movie.

Sometimes they wouldn't want to disturb the quiet and they would just sit together on the couch, talking quietly or not saying anything at all.

But her favourite nights were ones like this where they could sit outside on the porch swing and she would snuggle into his side as he read to her.

It may not have been much, and Jackie sometimes wondered when it was she had become so domestic, but with five children she had come to appreciate the romance in the small joys of life.

Besides, with five children, those moments never lasted for very long.


	6. Cooking

**A/N: Just another random idea that popped into my head whilst watching "Out Of Bounds" where Michael says the "way to man's heart..." adage. For some reason it made me think about how we never really see Jackie doing anything domestic...Anyways, hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Jackie had never been a particularly good cook.

Not that she _couldn't_ cook; she was just never more than adequate: the meals she prepared were edible and she didn't burn anything.

Because of this the old adage of cooking being "the way to a man's heart" always rankled. She knew it was silly but she had never been what her mother termed 'domestically inclined' and if these were desirable traits in a home maker then she guessed she would never make a home.

At least that had been what she thought several years ago.

Now, however, as she looked around the dinner table at her children and her husband – who all looked more than satisfied with the meal she had prepared – she decided that perhaps being 'domestically inclined' wasn't the only way to make a home.

She still wasn't much of a cook but she could keep her family happy and fed, two things that were much more important that being a domestic goddess.


	7. Snow

**A/N: I'm rather enjoying these drabbles, they keep me in the _Taggart_ zone whilst I bide my time to write a longer fic :D This one is based on a _Peanuts_ comic strip and inspired by an episode of _Old Bear_ that I watched the other night. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

Andrew sat forlornly at the window staring out at the snow covered landscape.

He sighed heavily, causing his father to look up from the book he was reading. "Is there a problem, Andrew?" Michael asked.

Andrew turned sad eyes to his father, "Why is everything all white? What's wrong with the colour green?" he gave a small sniffle, "I won't be able to play outside in the sunshine ever again."

Michael stifled his grin at the serious look on the small boy's face, "Andrew, it's just winter. Spring will come again and the snow will melt and you'll be able to play outside again. I promise," he added at Andrew's doubtful expression.

Andrew mulled over his father's words for a few moments, he knew that his father never lied to him and always kept his promises. "You're sure?" he asked.

This time Michael did smile, "Positive."

Andrew allowed a small smile to creep across his own face as he looked back out the window. "I suppose snow isn't so bad after all," he conceded.

Michael stifled another grin as he turned back to his book; his children never ceased to surprise and amuse him.


	8. Sparklers

**A/N: Just another random drabble. This time inspired by a line in _The Mummy Returns_. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing...  
**

"You know if you move them fast enough you can almost write your name."

Nerys and Jimmy, aged 3 and 5 respectively, gazed up at their father in awe before looking down at the sparklers they held in their hands.

After a brief moment both began to frantically wave the sparklers in the air.

Michael smiled as he watched them, until Nerys suddenly stopped and burst into tears.

Alarmed, Michael was by her side in an instant – hoping she hadn't burnt herself and trying not to think about what Jackie would do to him if she had. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked her, after ascertaining there were no burn marks.

Nerys looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "I don't know how to write," she said simply.

Michael stifled his smile and gave her a brief hug, "Why don't you draw me a picture then?" he suggested.

Nerys' face broke into a delighted smile as she proceeded to create all kinds of weird and wonderful shapes, most of which bore no resemblance to what she claimed them to be.

Michael didn't care, he was far to amused watching her and Jimmy (who was still busily trying to write 'James Alexander Jardine' in the air…without much success).


	9. Socks

**A/N: I should probably confess that Nelson is based on my own black lab, Archie, who inspired this chapter (although his sock stealing never gets much further than inital attempt...) :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

The first time it happened Michael had thought it was an accident.

The second time it happened he saw Nelson looking shifty nearby, causing him to become suspicious.

The _third_ time it happened he actually caught Nelson in the act.

Owner and dog stared at each other for a long time: Michael had his eyebrows raised and looked mildly amused. Nelson stood with the sock in his mouth, halfway out of the washing basket and looking like he couldn't decide whether to put the sock down and pretend nothing had happened or bolt.

Michael cracked first.

"So _you're_ the reason the socks have been falling on the ground, hm?" he asked.

Nelson continued to look up at him, still looking guilty with a sock in his mouth, but he began to wag his tail a little.

"Give me that," Michael said, reaching for the sock.

That was the signal Nelson had been waiting for and he took off, taking the sock with him. Michael groaned before giving chase.

Half an hour later Jackie looked out of the window to see Michael and Nelson sprawled on the grass, both looking very puffed; she grinned when she saw the sock that Michael was holding aloft triumphantly.

Perhaps now he would believe her when she told him that the ground was never a good place to put a washing basket when there was a dog in the yard.


	10. Mornings

**A/N: I'm so not a morning person, unless I'm with people other than my family (or doing something interesting)...hence where this came from...Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own it (but I am working on it...)**

Jackie was never a morning person: until she had children.

Then she had to be.

On her own she had always been able to sleep a little bit longer; when she had married she could usually con her husband into letting her sleep for just 'five minutes more' – but her children?

No chance.

But in the end she decided that having her children come into her room for a morning cuddle was worth losing the extra five minutes for.


	11. Penalties

**A/N: This one is inspired by an episode of _The Sooty Show_, hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

_**Penalties**_

Michael was feeling rather pleased with himself: Jimmy, Nerys _and_ the new baby were all tucked up in bed, fast asleep. Jackie had gone out for the first time since Katrina's birth meaning that, with the children asleep, he had the rest of the night to himself.

He sank into the couch with a grateful sigh as he switched on the TV and settled down to watch a war documentary. He sent a wicked grin in Nelson's direction as he opened up a bag of potato chips – something Jackie never allowed in the lounge room.

His solitude was broken a few minutes later by a loud bump coming from upstairs, he paused for a moment to listen, hearing nothing else he shrugged and turned his attention back to the TV.

At the sound of another bump he turned the volume down and listened again.

Still nothing.

He was just resigning himself to having to leave the couch and find out what was going on when a soccer ball came bouncing down the stairs. He pursed his lips as he watched it come to a stop near the front door.

He stood up and went to lean against the banister, "Jimmy?" he called.

Jimmy's head appeared at the head of stairs, "Can I have my ball back please, Daddy?" he asked, sounding a little sheepish.

"No you can not have your ball back, it's staying over there," Michael told him, "what were you doing with it anyway?"

Jimmy came down the first couple of steps, looking a little sullen, "I was practicing penalties in the hallway."

Michael squeezed the bridge of his nose as he tried not to lose his temper, "You're not meant to be practicing penalties in the hallway you're supposed to be in bed, asleep."

"But I can't sleep," Jimmy complained, sounding a little whiny.

"Jimmy, I realise not being able to sleep is a problem, but you're not even trying are you?" Michael replied.

Jimmy shook his head slowly.

"Go hop into bed, Jimmy, I'll come up and check on you in a minute," Michael told him.

"Couldn't you come up now, Daddy?" Jimmy asked.

Michael sighed, "All right, I'll come up now," he said, resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to see the end of his program.

Two hours later Jackie came home to find the TV on and a soccer ball by the front door but no other sign of either her husband or her children.

Concerned, she made her way up the stairs to check on them: seeing the light on in Jimmy's room, she went there first. She stifled a grin as she peeped inside: lying side by side on the bed, both fast asleep, were Michael and Jimmy; Michael with a book resting open on his chest.

Shaking her head, Jackie backed quietly out of the room; she'd wake Michael later, but not before she found the camera.


	12. Cookies

**A/N: Another drabble to add to the collection - this one wouldn't leave me alone :) Hopefully I will write something longer soon though. Hope you enjoy! x**

Using all the stealth he could muster he slipped into the kitchen.

As quietly as possible he crept towards to plate of biscuits on the bench.

He was just about to pick one up when a voice called out from the next room: "Michael Jardine, you had better not be trying to pinch one of the biscuits. They're for the guests!"

At Jackie's voice Michael dropped his hand guiltily and pretended to be getting himself a drink instead as she appeared in the doorway, shaking her head.

"Honestly, Michael, sometimes you're as bad as the children," she admonished him with an indulgent smile.

Michael's only response was an apologetic grin which only made Jackie chuckle as she tried to find a safer place to keep the biscuits.


End file.
